Philadelphia DA Larry Krasner wins reelection for second term

Philadelphia DA Larry Krasner wins second term

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner has won a second term, beating out GOP challenger Charles Peruto Jr.

PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia, Democrat Larry Krasner won another term as district attorney, beating high-profile criminal defense lawyer Chuck Peruto, the Republican nominee, and getting the go-ahead to continue his progressive overhaul of the office.

"It feels really great. It is wonderful to run on ideas and have people believe in those ideas," Krasner said. "But to run on your achievements and have people not only still believe in those ideas but recognize those achievements is especially rewarding."

Critics have placed the blame on Krasner and other progressive prosecutors for the increase in gun crimes. Supporters have pushed back, noting that rising violence during the pandemic — amid reduced social services and economic instability — are hitting cities with both liberal district attorneys and traditional law-and-order prosecutors.

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Krasner, a 60-year-old longtime civil rights and defense attorney, won election in 2017 against a crowded field by billing himself as the outsider candidate capable of making radical change.

Peruto Jr., another longtime defense attorney, announced he would be running against Krasner earlier this year, claiming the incumbent had been too soft on crime. He also stated that he was more fit for the job because he was born and raised in Philadelphia.